History was made in the industrial hemp legalization movement as music fans watched and listened to talented musician Micah Nelson perform with a hemp-made guitar at Farm Aid 2016 which took place last weekend in Virginia.

The one-of-a-kind all hemp musical instrument was provided by the Iowa Hemp Association on behalf of the National Hemp Association (NHA), that recently announced the addition of Nelson to its Board of Directors.

Micah Nelson is the founder of the band, “Insects vs. Robots,” and is the son of musician and National Agricultural Center Hall of Fame inductee, Willie Nelson. The elder statesman is as much famed for his agricultural advocacy work as his musical contributions.

Michael Bowman, “Mr. Hemp,” National Hemp Association:“Like his father before him, Micah has a powerful passion for advocacy”[NBC 29]

For the National Hemp Association (NHA), a national non-profit trade association dedicated to the growth and development of the industrial hemp industry, the addition of Micah Nelson is reflective of the organization’s strong appeal to all generations who are proponents of industrial hemp and other bio-sustainable farming choices.

“The passion for social and environmental justice was instilled in Micah,” said Michael Bowman, chair of the organization. “It is part of who he is. We could not be more excited to welcome him to our board. Like his father before him, Micah has a powerful passion for advocacy.”

For the NHA, the addition of Nelson brings an already well-known hemp activist to its board. Nelson is a sponsor of the Change.org petition asking congress to pass the Industrial Hemp Farming Act. The petition has gathered nearly 100,000 signatures, so far.

The NHA provided 100 hemp-based goodie bags to big name talents like John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Neil Young. Printed on the outside of the bags was a quote by Thomas Jefferson: “Hemp is the first necessity to the wealth and protection of the country.”

The NHA’s Farm Aid participation marked the first time an industrial hemp booth was included at the event’s “Homegrown Village” where all non-profits are located. The booth was a combined effort of the NHA, the Virginia Industrial Hemp Alliance, and Growing Warriors.

Beyond the NHA’s musical contributions, the organization provided 100 hemp-based goodie bags to big name talents like John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Neil Young. Printed on the outside of the bags was a quote by Thomas Jefferson: “Hemp is the first necessity to the wealth and protection of the country.”

According to Bowman, the addition of Nelson to the board and his decision to play the guitar at Farm Aid helps to create momentum for the organization as they rally against politicians like U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa. Grassley and others continue to insist industrial hemp be regulated as a controlled Schedule 1 substance, (the same classification as heroin), despite the fact it contains less than 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

“In 1985 Farm Aid’s first concert took place in Champaign, Illinois; yet still today farmers there are not legally allowed to grow industrial hemp,” Bowman said.“While the national hemp market is a $600 million dollar industry, it remains federally illegal to farm this sustainable crop.”

Bowman is a fifth-generation Colorado resident who grew up farming. He has been dubbed Mr. Hemp for his groundbreaking efforts to legalize industrialized hemp.

Nelson will serve on the board of directors of the National Hemp Association with another new board member, John W. Boyd Jr., the executive director of the National Black Farmers Association, a fourth generation farmer and one of America’s most effective defenders of civil rights.

Other NHA board members include McMillan Arrington, co-founder of BastCore, LLC; David Maddalena, founder and editor-in chief of The Hemp Connoisseur Magazine; Tae Darnell, principle executive officer, president and general counsel for Sensi Magazine; Cathy Hearn, former president of Living Harvest Foods; Alex Seleznov, CEO of several hemp industry companies related to growing, processing, and retailing hemp and hemp products; Emily Paxhia, co-founder of cannabis hedge fund Poseidon Asset Management; co-chair Samantha Walsh, entrepreneur and activist; and Geoff Whaling, founder and president of the Pennsylvania Hemp Industry Council.

Hello, I’m a cannabis and hemp advocate here in Australia..Ive smoked straight cannabis for 27 years..Im 45 this year..I only found out 2 years ago that I had an endocannabinoid system..we all do 🙂 I started adding 4 tablespoons of hempseeds to my daily diet and have cbd-thca and thc coconut oil infused tinctures..In 17 months Ive lost 46kgs and have stopped all my 35 legal prescription drugs..I am no longer in debilating pain and my ptsd,anxiety and depression are under control with no horrible side effects…I have just started my own business Healthy Heart Hempseeds here on fb and in my community on the Central Coast,NSW..even my 76 year old Dad loves hempseeds now..he has lost 15kgs and has been cleared of stage 3 bowel cancer after 8 months on hempseeds..Im so excited and blessed to be apart of this excellent health journey that hemp and cannabis create…Hempseed is still illegal for human consumption in Australia,that hasn’t stopped me
#stupidgovernment but the TGA..Therapeutical Goods Association have just approved them 2 weeks ago..we are praying they pass parliament before the end of April..Our government are bringing in synthetic “medical”??? You
are amazing and thankyou for all you do #cannabisforepilepsy #hempforhealth #growyourown #naturalonly

Way to go Micah, I’ve worked 14 FarmAids as the Front of House Soundman and Crew Chief. Now I run a great hemp company called Hippie Butter. We sell Hemp Seed Food, Butter, Bars and Skin Care products. Keep up the great work.

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